There are quite a number of known effective techniques for controlling the operation of conventional electric devices, such as a standing lamp.
The use of a mechanical locking mechanism has been a solution which has been widely used, by the Applicant of the present invention, so as to prevent inadvertent power-on of the lamp when, for instance, the latter is stored in a bag. A first example of such a system is described in European patent application EP19940410060 filed on 2 Aug. 1994 (Publication EP0637718). A second example of such a known lamp is also illustrated in FIG. 1 which shows a headlamp 10 fitted with a rotary switch 15 which may be rotated between different distinct positions 11, 12, 13 and 14. Positions 11 and 12 correspond to two modes of operations having different levels of brightness, while position 13 is a OFF position. At last, an extreme position 14 corresponds to a locking position configured so that to provide a position where the switch 15 can not be inadvertently rotated.
Such a mechanical locking is quite important so as to prevent undesired use of the battery. However, electrical locking mechanisms were used as well in the past for preventing unintended use and activation of the lamp when the latter is stored.
WO 2008/036943 filed on Sep. 21, 2007, shows the use of an electrical locking mechanism fitted inside a prior art flashlight device 100, as represented in FIG. 2. More particularly, the flashlight is operated by the use of two buttons 144 and 146, respectively corresponding to a momentary “on” or a constant “on” which can be used for different modes of operation. The flashlight of FIG. 2 includes a “lockout” mechanism to ensure that anyone of those two buttons are not inadvertently depressed while the flashlight is stored in a bag, thus draining the batteries. The flashlight is configured to activate the “lockout” mechanism by simultaneously depressing the constant “on” button 146 and another button 148, and released in the same manner. This ensures that the flashlight device 100 is not inadvertently on while being stored and is ready for use when needed by the user. In one embodiment, the flashlight includes a control panel showing one indicator lamp to provide visible indication of the “lockout” status as to whether the flashlight device is “locked” or “unlocked”, e.g. by illuminating a symbol or icon in the upper surface of the keypad overlay.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,303,306 filed on Oct. 28, 2005 illustrates another example of an electrical locking mechanism used in a flashlight, which is activated by simultaneously depressing two different switches.
U.S. Ser. No. 12/502,237 filed on Jul. 14, 2009 further illustrates the use of an electrical locking mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,529,086 filed on Sep. 10, 2013 illustrates a portable illumination system having a locked stated that minimizes the occurrence of unintended activation. The patent describes and claims:
“a portable illumination system comprising:
at least one light source;
an electrical power source,
a first activated state in which the electrical power source is coupled to the at least one light source to generate a first optical output;
a deactivated state in which the electrical power source is not coupled to the at least one light source and no optical output is generated;
a locked state in which the electrical power source is not coupled to the at least one light source and no optical output is generated;
a switching mechanism configured to receive both a first and second physical user input;
a processor coupled to the switching mechanism, the processor configured to select one of the first activated state, the deactivated state, and the locked state in response to one of the first and second physical user input;
wherein the processor is configured to correlate the first physical user input with a state change between the first activated activated state and the deactivated state; and
wherein the processor is configured to correlate only the second physical user input with a state change between the locked state and either one of the first activated state or the deactivated state”
U.S. Pat. No. 8,529,086 further describes and claims a corresponding method for switching between operational states of a portable illumination system.
All the electrical locking mechanisms known in the prior art, including U.S. Pat. No. 8,529,086 show to be quite effective for preventing unintended use of the lamp.
However, all those conventional mechanisms only arrange one single path for unlocking the lamp, which is shown to be too limited in view of the new possibilities of control of portable illumination systems.